3''-AZIDO-3'-DEOXYTHYMIDINE AND 2',3'-DIDEOXYCYTIDINE DO NOT INHIBIT GENE-SPECIFIC DNA-REPAIR IN HAMSTER-CELLS

3 ''-Azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) was the first approved drug for the treatment of the AIDS; however, despite its usefulness, AZT often pro duces side effects that require cessation of therapy. 2',3'-Dideoxycyt idine (ddC) is a related anti-retroviral agent in advanced stages of c linical testing. A previous report demonstrated that AZT decreased the repair of UV-induced DNA strand breaks in mammalian cells after ultra violet (UV) irradiation. We studied the effect of AZT and ddC on DNA r epair from the hamster DHFR gene of the major UV-induced DNA lesion, c yclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). We conclude that neither AZT nor ddC inhibited DNA replication or the gene-specific repair of CPDs in t he hamster DHFR gene after 8 or 24 hrs of repair incubation at concent rations of 25 mu M and 10 mu M, respectively. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.